
Is being a “kuru kuru Princess” really all it’s cracked up to be?
Our writer Go Hatori has recently begun ADA Treatment, which is a fancy term in Japan for “male pattern baldness help.” However, as a result, he had been getting patches of unwanted hair cropping up on his face and the back of his hand.
While searching for ways to deal with this newfound fur, Go learned about hair removal pads, sheets of sandpaper-like material that have come on the market in recent years. However, there appears to be a lot of different kinds and some lead to disastrous results such as friction-burnt skin or providing little-to-no hair removal.
Some lady used some hair removal pads on my arm yesterday! OUCH! Not the best thing to remove hair!! pic.twitter.com/yxFE0L7xLz
— Martyna Sobol (@el_martina) September 29, 2014
So, when faced with fear and uncertainty, Go did what he always does and headed over to the 100-yen store. This time it was Seria which came to his aid with their “Well-liked skin Hair removal pad.”
▼ That’s exactly how it’s written on the package, lest anyone talk smack about my translation.
It looked kind of like a makeup pad but instead was made of a coarse paper. It felt like shark skin or fine sandpaper.
The way it works is quite simple. Just strap it on your hand.
Then rub in a circular pattern.
And then do it some more.
After that, kind of look at it a bit, and you’re done!
It seemed all too simple, and when Go looked at the pad he didn’t see any hair.
Then, he looked down at his arm and…
▼ “Gyah!!!”
All of his new hair had vanished! He looked around and saw those problematic threads scattered around his desk in defeat.
All in all, Go was very impressed. He didn’t know paper could be used in this way, especially paper bought at the 100 yen shop. However, it was somewhat uncomfortable to do and left his skin feeling a little raw. The instructions also recommend using skin lotion after rubbing.
The package also says that it can be reused five more times, but Go felt he had enough. However, Go’s hair was rather scant. What if he had completely OD’ed on his AGA Treatment and ended up with something like my arm?
▼ Welcome to the jungle.
To find out I decided to take the next turn. Could the 100-yen Well-liked skin Hair removal pad cut through even this thicket?
▼ Hell no.
After considerable rubbing, only six hairs came out and strangely, the skin underneath it all still managed to become rather chafed.
So it looks like when it comes to Well-liked skin Hair removal pad, results may vary. It appears to work well for slight cases of unwanted hair, but falls way short of conventional methods to handle more heavy duty jobs.
It’s also important to note that these products are only intended for use on the strong skin of arms and legs. Facial hair and other areas are advised against, so if you want to get rid of those pesky nose hairs, don’t try to shove one of these things up there; leave it to the experts at GOSSO instead.
Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]













We test out wax hair removal strips from the 100-yen store on our hairy, manly legs
Our male reporter got hair removed from his “delicate zone”, dishes on the whole experience
We plump up our perms with a “Fairy Hair Curler” from the 100 yen store!
Tour our Japanese-language reporter’s apartment, a wonderland of 100-yen trinkets
“Hair Extension Bangs” from a 100-yen store: A bargain to beautify the bald and bereft
Stunning central Japan wisteria festival is like a purple fantasy straight out of a Ghibli movie
Awesome Ghibli Howl’s Moving Castle figure is also a puzzle and an organizer[Photos]
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
Why you should be adding Calpis to your beer in Japan
Transparent coffee! We taste-test Asahi’s Clear Latte, marvel at Japanese drinks wizardry
Day 2 of our quest to visit all the Pokémon manhole covers in Tottori【Photos】
Mr. Sato Schools Fellow Reporter at “Go! Go! Curry” Speed Eating Contest
Universal Studios’ Sailor Moon theme park attraction is finally coming to America
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers have Sandshrew welcoming you to an often forgotten part of Japan
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Tokyo government organizes food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teen gathering area
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Japan’s cherry blossom season predicted to start earlier than we’d thought, especially in Tokyo
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Pad Thai oatmeal?? Our reporter tries another oatmeal cooking experiment【SoraKitchen】
Let’s stick hot, cheap electronics near our eyes with Daiso’s heated eyelash curler!【Experiment】
Affordable luxury AND cheap beauty? We test Japan’s 100-yen Steam Face Mask【Photos】
We run a camellia oil-infused brush through our tresses and set them a-gleam, only spend 100 yen
Stretching the limits of Japanese budget belts with the Easy Stretch Belt from the 100 yen store
Which 100-yen shop product makes the best janky speaker? We test out 35 different items
We treat ourselves to overnight 100-yen curlers from Daiso: are they worth looking this goofy?
Are 100 yen shop Daiso’s Japanese radish seeds worth your time? Let’s find out【Experiment】
This “revolutionary” Japanese compression bottle is our 100-yen shop find of the week【Video】
Testing out a Japanese rice cooker bag from a 100-yen store
We try out a 100-yen store bowl designed for microwaving frozen udon noodles
This super-compact raincoat from one of Japan’s 100-yen stores can literally fit in your pocket
How to put together an earthquake/typhoon preparedness kit at the 100 yen shop
Does this egg timer from Japanese 100-yen store Daiso really work?
Our balding reporter tries to fix his male pattern baldness with medications and topical sprays
Can you buy everything you need for an overnight camping trip at Daiso? Let’s find out!【Photos】